A man has been sentenced to prison after stabbing a complete stranger in the head, causing life-changing injuries. Richard Sivanda, 23, from Highgate Hill, was today sentenced to XX years at Snaresbrook Crown Court for attempted murder.
The victim, a 20-year-old man, was walking with his girlfriend near Highgate tube station in north London when the brutal attack occurred. Sivanda mistakenly believed the victim was connected to a rival gang.
When the couple tried to walk away, Sivanda chased them and stabbed the man in the head with a pointed weapon. The victim was rushed to hospital in critical condition. Despite life-saving treatment, he now suffers permanent brain damage and requires assisted living.
Police reviewed CCTV footage showing Sivanda in the area before and after the attack. He returned home, where officers arrested him just 29 hours later. Detectives also found a video of Sivanda boasting about the stabbing, using a face-masking filter, claiming he believed he had killed the victim.
Detective Chief Inspector Gemma Alger of the Metropolitan Police said, “Our mission to eradicate this kind of violence is having an impact. The number of stabbing hospitalisations has fallen by 29 per cent in five years, but we keep fighting serious violence on our streets.”
The Met Police removed nearly 3,000 knives last year alone, employing data-led tactics, gang busts, and prosecutions to protect Londoners.
This harrowing case highlights the devastating consequences of gang violence and mistaken identity on innocent lives.
Originally published by UKNIP.
